Jordan Ferney Created a Gallery Wall With a Samsung Frame TV Secretly in the Middle
So much better than a black box.
Published Jan 31, 2023 1:40 AM
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Frankly, I didn’t want a TV. But I’m not the only one who lives in my house—I have a partner and three kids—and I originally thought we could all have our own iPads to watch our shows. We also live in a city apartment where there isn’t a ton of wall space, and I never wanted a television to be the sole focus of a room, especially in a multipurpose area we use for entertaining, putting on records, and playing games. But the pandemic hit, and I was outvoted.
As it turns out, having a TV in our living room ended up being a good thing as we watched our way through the AFI 100 Years…100 Movies during those dark months of 2020. Still, when we purchased our screen, I thought: How do I not make it the focus of the room?
The Samsung Frame, with its sleek outline and slim shape, seemed like the obvious choice for something that would blend in and look good with other things going on around it. Having our shelves, art, record player, and plants nearby immediately helped the space feel like it wasn’t just a shrine to the TV—which, by the way, isn’t a bad thing if you have a home theater or if watching movies is the only thing you actually do in that room. But we use ours for lots of things, and I wanted to honor all those other ways we use it, too.
To build the gallery wall, I first Googled the standard height of a TV—42 inches from the floor to the middle of the screen—and adjusted it to work with our Hay Mags sofa, which sits a little lower than most. Next, I put up my regular art (a mixture of Oakland White Elephant sale discoveries and Etsy finds), then later chose what digital art would go in the Frame, mostly because it’s so easy to switch out. For example, in the winter, I like to display an image from Italy so that I can feel like I’m on vacation. Or if I’m having a party with a different vibe, I’ll choose art to go with it. I also like buying Frame art from Juniper Print Shop—it has a great selection.
To help the screen blend in even more, I made two little holes: one right behind the TV and another by the baseboards to hide the thin cord. I made them as small as I could so I wouldn’t damage the walls, and I’ll patch them up when we leave. (I have yet to not get an apartment deposit back!)
While I don’t think we are totally fooling anyone into thinking a Frame TV is an actual piece of art, when layered against the other objects we use in that room, it all just works. Which reminds me of the inspiration for that room in the first place: My husband and I used to go on dates to bookstores when we were young, and we would gravitate to the art section and look through things to get inspired. Once we started having kids, that was my goal, to make my living room feel like that bookstore, filled with new books, old books, and inspiring things. And sometimes, for us, finding inspiration can also mean gathering around the TV for a classic movie.
